Coupler



May 26,1931. F. H. KAYLER ,8

COUPLER Filed A 6. 1928 6 Sh eets Sheet 2 y 1- 'r-". H. KAYLER. 1 801,243

. courmm Fil g 6. 1928 s sheets-sheet a May 26, 1931. KAYLER- 1,807,243

' COUPLER I Filed Aug. 6, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 26, 1931. "F. H. K YLE K3 3 f COUPLER I Filed Aug. 6, 1928 6 Sheets Sheet 5 May 26, 1931. F. H. KAYLEa" 1,807,243

COUPLER Filed Aug; 6. 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 1711x9215?"- Eank @[Kagylor Patented May 26, 1931 UNITE-D STATES PATENT osr cl-i FRANK H.'KAYLER,'OF ALLIANGE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES; OF, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEVJ JERSEY COUPLER" Application filed August 6, 1928.' Serial No. 297,595.

This invention pertains to coupling mechanisms, andmoreparticularly to a transitional. coupling device for railway vehicles.

In general, the hi. C. B. automatic coupler is standard equipment on all cars throughoutthe United States and Canada, but the manually.operatedscrew and draw bar hook typesare still: used to a largeextent in many othercountries. Though the automatic conpleris graduallybeing introduced, it has not wholly. replaced other types and until it be-.

couplers become universal, the transition attachments may be removed.

It is therefore an object of this invention 303-130 provide a device similar in operation to the present screw coupling, yet which permits adjustments to be made more easily and quickly.

Another object is to provide devices adapt-" 5 ed to be applied to automatic couplers permitting cooperation between pairs of automatic or hook couplers.

Still another object is to provide a device which assumes an unobstructing position .Wl1en inoperative and one which is operative with couplers of the top and bottom operated type.

A further object is to provide a simplified and inexpensive form of device which cannot be accidentally detached in service and which in its application requires no changes in the coupler head which will in any way detract from its efliciency.

Still further object is to provide transi- 5o tional coupler mechanism in which the parts thereof are particularly designed and. con.

structed tocooperate in a manner to meet the various requirements under actual service and. manufacturing conditions.

With these and various other objects in. view, the invention may consist of certain novelfeatures of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed outin the specification, drawings and claim appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts,

Figure'l is a partial top plan view of the 3 end sills oftwo railway cars, one of which is provided with the M. C. B. automatic coupler and the other with the draw bar hook coupler, the transitional coupling device being illustratedin normal draft operation. v Figure 2 is a side elevationof the arrangement shown in Figure 1. V I t Figure 3 indicates the device in the first position'for releasing slack, preparatory to uncoupling.

F igurev 4 indicates the transitional mechae nism in the second positionfor releasing the slackpreparatory to uncoupling.

Figures 5 and'6 are a top plan view and sideelevation respectively of the transitionalde= vice being uncoupled and lifted clear of the draw bar hook.

Figures 7 and 8 are a top plan view and side elevation of the transitional'coupling mechanism in draft in use during the process of shunting or switching cars.

Figures 9 and 10 indicateposition of the transitional device in buff; and

Figures 11 and 12are top plan and side elevation of M. C. B automatic couplers in' operative position, showingdisposition of the transition device.

Referring to. Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the device consists of the M. C. B. 1 coupler'EZO, and a transitional link assembly to belater described in detail. The transitional coupler proper may take the form of the yoke or link23, engageable with the draw bar hook-.22 :and attached to the MHC. B. coupler head 20 by means of thelinks 24,25, 26,127, 28 and 29, links 26 and 29 engaging the horizontal shouldered bosses 30 and;3 l

respectively. These bosses are preferably cast integral with the coupler head and are provided with shoulders for retaining the linkage thereon,

The chain links 24 and 27'may be provided with the handles 32 and 33 to facilitate operation, and safety of the employee, similar coupling is screwed home. It should be noted that the outer portion of the draft gear hook 22 will, under these conditions, lie within the yoke between the draft lugs to thereby limit any possibility of the side links 24 and 27 being accidentally displaced from their position when in service.

In order to uncouple the cars it is necessary to remove the side links 24 and 27 from the draft lugs, the procedure of which is clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. WVit-h the brakes of one car set or the wheels blocked, the other-car is forced against it by the locomotive, thus compressing movable buffers 38 against the fixed buffer 39. The'transitional chain mechanism is now slack, and by partially rotating the yoke 23 in a clock-wise di rection, the chain link 24 may be swung clear of lug 36. After this is done, yoke 23 may be swung in the opposite direction, or counter-clockwise, and a chain link 27 is lifted clear of the lug 37. 7

These side chain links can then pass between the draw bar hook and the lugs and dropped to the rear cross member of the draft link as indicated in Figure 5. i

To uncouple the cars, yoke 23 is pulled towards the car sill supporting the hook coupler as indicated in Figures 5 and 6 so'thatit may then be lifted clear of the hook 22.

In switching service, when quick operation is desirable and slack not a particular disadvantage, the device may be used as indicated in Figures 7- and-S, in which the links 24 and 27' are engaged with the notches 40, 41 of the yoke 23 instead of with the draft lugs 36 and 37, as in regular service and in this connection, there is some slack and clearance be tween the buffers 38 and 39.

Figures 9 and 10 indicate the position of the transitional coupling mechanism in pusher service or at other times when slack is produced as in buff, in this case, the thrust being transmitted through the buffers 38- and 39. Note that the movable buffer 38 is com pressed solid and that the transition chain and yoke hangs slack, but that a clearance eX- ists between the ends of the draft hook and the coupler head knuckle 21.

to be limited by the exact embodiment of the 7 device shown, as various and other embodi- Hnents of said device will of course occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim: 7

The combination with anautomatic car coupler and ahook car coupler, of a transitional coupler device comprising a yoke and a pair oflinkages having terminal links loosely interlinked with the yoke and opposite terminal links connected to opposite sides of the automatic coupler head, the yoke being disposed in a substantially horizontal position and receiving the hook of the hook coupler- .engaged with one end of the yoke, the longitudinal sides of the yoke having inwardly directed lugs aligned transversely of the yoke 

